The three girls each wore a distinct outfit: a classic black-and-white maid uniform, a pristine white chef's outfit, and a deep-black martial arts gi.
"Iliya!"
"Ian!"
"Eden!"
"We greet Lady Irene, Young Master Ren, and Miss Erza!"
The moment they appeared, all three girls dropped to one knee, bowing respectfully toward Irene, Ren, and Erza.
"See, Ren? This solves our manpower problem~"
Irene's gaze swept over Iliya, Ian, and Eden with deep satisfaction. She was clearly proud of her handiwork. Then she turned to Ren with a warm smile.
"It really does solve it."
Ren nodded without changing expression, but inside, he was completely shaken.
"What immense magical power!"
Before, Ren had no magic within him. Though he knew Irene was strong, he had never truly understood the scale of her strength.
But now, watching her perform high-tier enchantment magic right in front of him, imbuing ordinary objects with personalities and magical life, Ren finally glimpsed the tip of the iceberg.
Only by sensing Irene's magic for himself did Ren truly grasp how far apart their powers were. He now understood why, in the original Fairy Tail, even the most powerful mages, including Mavis, the first Guild Master, would look upon Irene with terror. Because her power wasn't just overwhelming, it was from a completely different dimension.
The clearest sign was this: even these three artificial personalities, conjured effortlessly by Irene, possessed more magical energy than Ren himself.
And that was saying something. Ren had already raised his mana to Level 6. According to the system, this level was equal to or even stronger than an S-Class mage in a typical Light Guild. Yet even so, the magic in his body was still inferior to what these three held.
In other words, these personalities Irene had casually created each had the potential of a Wizard Saint.
All they had to do was display a bit of strength out in the world, take down a few dark guilds and they'd easily earn that title.
They might not rank among the top of the Ten Wizard Saints, but claiming a spot at the bottom? That would be trivial.
If the Magic Council ever discovered that the powerful mages they had spent years selecting, testing, and appointing as the strongest in Ishgar were barely on par with the staff of a small-town bakery, they would probably lose their minds.
And if they found out that those mages weren't even real people but just temporary constructs made by Irene on a whim—their worldviews would shatter completely. Their lifelong beliefs in the value of cultivation, study, and discipline would collapse in an instant.
To someone like Irene, these so-called "powerful mages" were nothing but ants. Fragile, pitiful ants.
"Young Master, I'm Iliya, maid to you and Miss Erza~"
Iliya had a calm, composed personality. She smiled gently, like a big sister from next door, her presence both elegant and comforting.
"Young Master, I'm Ian! I'm the bakery's waitress and chef! If you ever need anything, just ask Ian! I promise I'll give it one hundred and ten percent!"
Ian, in her white chef's outfit, was energetic and lively, practically bursting with spirit. She was the picture of a cheerful, bubbly girl.
"Young Master, I'm Eden. I'm in charge of protecting you and Miss Erza."
Eden wore black from head to toe. She was quiet, sharp-eyed, and ever-vigilant—ready to eliminate any threat near Ian at a moment's notice. She was the classic "cool girl" with a fierce, no-nonsense aura.
Each of the three had a unique and clearly defined personality.
"I'll be counting on you all from now on. Thank you."
Ren nodded to the three girls, his expression sincere. Even though they were artificial constructs, he still treated them with the respect they deserved.
From that day forward, with Iliya, Ian, and Eden helping out, Ren's hands were completely freed. All he had to do was stay in the shop and he could easily complete all his daily quests.
To him, this new lifestyle was practically paradise.
"Unbelievable! One Erza wasn't enough, now there are even more?!"
The next day, Uncle John, the town blacksmith entered the bakery and immediately saw the three new girls. After learning their names, he stood frozen in place, eyes wide, as though he had taken a critical hit to the heart.
"But even so, I won't give up!"
John shouted this boldly. He bought an entire basket of bread and walked up to Ren, declaring with conviction, "Ren, tell Irene for me—my feelings will never change! No matter how many she has out there, I'll accept them all! True love is unstoppable!"
"…"
Ren stared at him, speechless.
"Thanks for your patronage! Please come again~"
Before John could get a response, Iliya and Ian gently ushered him out of the bakery with bright, courteous smiles.
"Alert! Alert!"
"Suspicious individual detected!"
Eden had already drawn two small daggers and stood protectively near Ren, watching John with a look of warning.
"No, he's just a normal person, almost no threat at all. Still…"
Though Ren thought that, he didn't say anything out loud. As far as he was concerned, the sooner John gave up on Irene, the better.
Sometimes, helping someone recognize reality early was an act of kindness.
In the days that followed, Ren's life was quiet but meaningful.
Watching Erza grow day by day gave him a strange sense of accomplishment.
At the same time, as daily tasks increased, so did the money he earned. Before long, he had saved enough to level up his remaining two skills from Level 5 to Level 6.
His system panel now displayed:
Magic:
Mana: LV6 (+)
Enchantment Magic: LV6 (+)
Separation Magic: LV6 (+)
After reaching Level 6, upgrading further would require millions in funds. Even with his boosted daily income, reaching Level 7 would take time.
Ren had also discovered that Level 6 was a critical threshold. Reaching Level 7 would bring a massive leap in power—not just in raw mana, but in magical application.
His magic would elevate to a level that could rival even the Ten Wizard Saints of Ishgar.
His Enchantment Magic, too, would evolve from basic to advanced tier. Of course, even advanced enchantments had varying depths. Ren knew that to reach Irene's level, he still had a long way to go.
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Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!